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Aardvarks
Aardvarks are creatures that appear in The Lion King universe. Information In the Real World Appearance The typical aardvark has a hairless body, with a short neck and a strongly arched back.http://www.awf.org/wildlife-conservation/aardvark Its head is elongated, while its snout is long and narrow, with nostrils that can be sealed against dust and insects. The aardvark's ears are long and tubular, usually held upright, but able to be closed or folded, and its legs are short, with the hind legs being longer than the front. An aardvark's claws are adapted for digging, and its tongue is long and sticky, built to catch insects.http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/aardvark/ Additionally, its skin is thick enough to protect it from bites. The aardvark's tail, though short, is cone-shaped and muscular, tapering to a point. Behavior Aardvarks tend to be nocturnal and solitary, only coming out during the daylight to sun themselves. Typically, an aardvark will spend its day curled up in its burrow with the entrance blocked, leaving only a small opening at the top. After sunset, an aardvark will begin hunting for insects. On average, a female aardvark gives birth to one offspring per year. Young aardvarks usually stay with their mothers for about six months, after which they move out and dig their own burrows. Habitat Aardvarks can be found throughout Africa, south of the Sahara. Their name means "earth pig" in South Africa's Afrikaans language. In terms of landscape, aardvarks are not picky and can be found in a variety of different habitats, from dry savannas to rain forests. They typically live where there is easy access to water, a steady supply of termites, and clay or sandy soil. Digging is key to their choice of habitat, as they will typically move on from hard soil to find areas where digging is easier. The main burrow of the aardvark is used for breeding.http://www.onekind.org/education/animals_a_z/aardvark/ Most aardvark burrows are deep and extensive, reaching 13 meters in length. Their layouts are changed regularly, with aardvarks sometimes moving on to dig new ones. Old burrows are sometimes inhabited by animals such as the cape dog. Diet Termite mounds are a frequent source of food for aardvarks. In order to reach the termites, an aardvark will use its long front claws to break through the hard shell of the mound and lap up the termites using its protractile tongue. Aardvarks are quite adept at digging, being able to dig two feet in 15 seconds, and their claws are especially useful for breaking down hard soil.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z5OoBqqYsk&t=0m46s On occasion, an aardvark will press its snout to an opening and simply suck the termites in through its mouth. A similar technique is used when aardvarks raid underground ant nests. Aardvarks can catch up to 50,000 insects in one night. Predators An aardvark's natural predators include cape dogs, hyenas, leopards, lions, and pythons. When endangered, an aardvark can escape by digging or running in zigzags, but if it comes down to a confrontation, it will fight with its claws, shoulders, and tail. Aardvarks have been known to flip onto their backs and lash out with all four limbs if in a dire enough situation. If cornered in its burrow, an aardvark will seal the tunnel behind it and turn around to attack with its claws. In addition to natural predators, aardvarks are often hunted by African tribes for meat. Some tribes attempt to use various aardvark body parts for charms, including the teeth, which are believed to prevent illness. In the Universe In The Lion King In a 1992 version of the script, aardvarks partake in "To Be King". In King of the Jungle During early production of The Lion King, when it was initially titled King of the Jungle, an aardvark named Daabi was cast to be a close friend of Simba's. In the January 1990 version of the script, Daabi and her cousin aardvarks are allies of Simba during the final battle. Under the instruction of Simba, the aardvarks dig a trap tunnel for Scar and attempt to bury him alive by blockading the tunnel entrances with dirt. However, their efforts are thwarted by Scar himself, who manages to burst out of the dirt before he can die of asphyxiation. He engages Simba in a duel, but the younger combatant emerges the victor, prompting much rejoicing from Daabi and her cousins. The May 1990 version of the script had Daabi remain an ally of Simba, though her cousin aardvarks disappeared from the script. In The Lion Guard In "Bunga the Wise" During "Bunga the Wise", Bunga steals an aardvark's grubs. In "Can't Wait to be Queen" While singing "Duties of the King", Zazu mentions that one of Simba's duties is to oversee aardvark wedding rites. In "The Kupatana Celebration" An aardvark practices an opening choral piece for the Kupatana celebration with Basi, Mbuni, Twiga, and an elephant. Not long after this, Dogo and his brothers invade the aardvark warrens, inciting the anger of Muhangus and his mate, Muhanga. The situation only becomes worse when Goigoi eats the aardvarks' fruit, but Kion does his best to diffuse the situation. In "The Call of the Drongo" A drongo named Tamaa mimics Janja's voice in order to scare Muhangus away from his grubs. The frightened aardvark runs to Kion, who investigates the site of the incident, but Janja is nowhere to be seen. In [[Hakuna Matata (magazine series)|the Hakuna Matata Magazine Series]] In The Shiny Stones An aardvark named Arnold befriends Timon. Notable Aardvarks Gallery Video References Category:Aardvarks Category:Animals Category:Groups